The Final Day - Shoe, Home Visits, and the Future ABC Center

Nakupenda!

It‘s hard to believe that we will be leaving for the airport in nearly 3 hours! We’ve all had an awesome time in Kenya and are so grateful for the opportunity to come here. We wrapped up our time today visiting another school and handing out shoes, bracelets, and candy. It was a bit chaotic at first since there were SO many children but once we got the hang of things, everything went well. The teachers were so grateful and the children were smiling and excited for their new kicks. Kenyan children are so happy despite their circumstances.

Later in the afternoon, we visited some homes of families living with HIV/AIDS. FTC has a community outreach program where staff are committed to visiting the families twice a month to bring them food and medicine and to check on their progress in taking their ARV’s (HIV meds). The living conditions were very harsh and sad to see again. We were in another part of Kenya today, which brought to light that poverty does exist everywhere here. We then drove to see the new property of the ABC center and were wowed by the size and location. Dr. Jones said he was very lucky to find this property and looks forward to renovating the building there and expanding so a school can be built and they can begin to store food in the warehouse on the property. There is so much ahead for Kenya and it’s wonderful to look forward to the future and be a part of the help that’s taking place here.

I think most of us would agree that it doesn’t take much to help another person. Imagine what could be done here if everyone was a part of eradicating the poverty. With the help of people around the world, relief can be brought to the people here and by educating them about healthcare, nutrition, money management, job coaching, etc. a positive change will surely take place. FTC has a vision that starts with providing food to hungry children so that their medicines will work and they will be healthy to learn. We look forward expectantly to what is to come for Kenya and remain hopeful that people will be willing to serve here to help the people in need.

FTC is committed to bringing relief to people in need. If you know anyone willing to donate food, medical or school supplies, clothing, money, etc then please let us know and we will contact the right people for you.

Thank you! We are so appreciative of your support and care for those in desperate need.

Gratefully,
The FTC Team

http://www.feedthechildren.org/

Tuesday - The Wild Day

What an awesome day today was! It was such a treat that we had the opportunity to go on a safari ride and see so many beautiful animals. It was an adventure that we will never forget.

Our day started very early this morning because we had to make it to the airport to catch a 7am flight down almost to Tanzania where we would visit the Mara area that is home to the Masai Tribes. We were about 1000 feet above sea level and the entire property was nearly 300 kilometers.

Once we arrived to the Masai Mara, we were greeted by 5 drivers waiting with their Land Rovers to take us on the safari. We had no idea what to expect but everything went well and everyone had lots of fun. I think for the most part, we all saw the same animals but everyone has lots of pictures since we weren’t always together in a group. The area is a natural habitat for all the animals we saw so we got to witness groups of animals feeding together, see the zebras migrating, watch some animals hang out by the water, and even see a real kill!

It was absolutely unbelievable. We were able to pull up to a pack of lions and watch them from no more than 50 feet away. It was a group of females and their cubs since the males are resting during the day. Actually, it is the females who are responsible for hunting for food and so they go to find something to eat and sometimes, the cubs follow along. Today we saw two female lions literally creep through the tall grass over the course of no more than 15 minutes. They were working together because one of them would stop and the other would slowly keep moving to the other side of the zebras they were after. I have to admit, it was sad to see the lion eventually sneak up to a zebra, pounce on it, and strangle it to death but it was such a Lion King moment and just gave everyone a real glimpse into the circle of life.

Some of the video we took is disturbing but it was the highlight of the day since it’s not often that a group gets to see a live kill. It was amazing to watch the animals interact with each other and work together. The lions actually ate the zebra right in front of us and then we were told that they wouldn’t eat for at least 3 days since they would be so full. I don’t want to go into too much grueling detail but the lions eat every single part of the zebra except for the bones, head, and legs-they are kindly considerate and leave those remains for the hyenas. How nice of them!

Among the lions and zebras, we also were so lucky to see elephants, giraffes, baboons, birds, antelope, mongooses, vultures, crocs, buffalo, impalas, gazelles, water bucks (huge deer), warthogs, hippos, wildebeests, cows, sheet, goats, ostriches, hyenas, and the remains of both a hippo and the horns of a buffalo. It was such a great day and the only safari like animal we didn’t see was a cheetah but overall, we could not have asked for a better trip.

The guides we were with were so knowledgeable and proud of their country. They were so happy to teach us about each animal and did everything they could to make our trip a success. The Kenyan people are some of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. They make you feel right at home from the second you meet. We all shared a lunch out in the wilderness and then went to see some more animals before we had to catch our plane back to Nairobi.

Around noon this afternoon, we were so fortunate to visit one of the Masai tribes. We were welcomed by the male leaders of the tribe and then all the women danced out to meet us and sang their tribal welcome song. They handmake everything they own from their clothes to their jewelry. No one wears shoes and they carry their young children with them all the time. At the end of our visit, they were offering some of their beautiful jewelry and other items for sale. We got to bargain with them and some of us even traded what we had for something of theirs. It was awesome to learn about them and try to help them by buying their things.

They were so kind and let us visit their village which was basically a huge circle of huts made out of cow dung to keep out the rain and in the middle, they have big fires at night since there is no electricity. If you remember from a few days ago, Nick, the little boy who was brought to the ABC Center is from the Masai tribe and so his living conditions were just like the ones we saw today except he wasn’t from this exact area.

In Kenya, everyone comes from a certain tribe. There can often be conflict between people because of their differences in the tribes. Not everyone lives in a tribal village but there are still many many people here who do live this lifestyle. It is so completely different than anything one could imagine.

They have very specific guidelines regarding power and leadership in the tribe. There are many things a man must do in order to be a leader. We met one today who is respected as the leader since he was the first one in his age group to spear a male lion. In the Masai culture, the male can go out at 20 years of age with others who are the same age and whoever can spear the lion first, becomes the new leader. They must skin the lion and wear it’s mane on their head as a headdress. It was wild!

We learned many things about the Masai culture and considering how they lived literally in the middle of no where, we were surprised to learn that the children do go to school many miles away. And, they walk there. The same goes for the women when they go to get water. They must walk miles and then carry it back to their camp. Many of the people there have never had a bath and their diets are so strict as they only eat beef from cows and drink milk and cow’s blood! There wasn’t a tasting today but they did in fact invite David Wesley to spend the night with them with the promise that they would give him a goat and some cows blood! Sadly, he turned them down because we have yet another busy day tomorrow.


The Masai people are very friendly and talented. The young girls learn to work with beads at a very young age and the women are in charge of making the jewelry and most of the utensils they have. Since people can only marry when they reach the age of 24, every person who is “dating” another person must wear matching wristbands. It is a way of marking territory until marriage. And, once a man is married, he has children with his wife and then finds another wife and has children with her. It is their culture to do this and a typical man will have about 13 children that he will raise in the village.

The tribe worships the cows they have too. Each tribe has roughly 800 cows that they allow to graze during the day while the men keep an eye on them. At night, they bring in the baby cows to each hut to sleep and let the larger cows sleep in the middle of their village. Without their cows, they claim they would have no worth as a tribe.

To sum it all up, the Masai people are very nice. They live a completely different life that does not consist of TV, music, and video games among many others. It is just indescribable to have the chance to experience something like we did today. Everyone is so thankful for the wonderful opportunity we had.

Tomorrow is our last full day here. We will be distributing 1700 pairs of shoes and socks at another school in a slum. We will also be helping with the feeding program and then splitting up into groups to go and visit the homes to talk to the people who live there. Later, we will visit the new property that will soon be the home of the new ABC center. This one in particular will be a trade school where the older kids at the ABC center will go to learn how to sew, carpentry, mechanics, etc. It will hopefully enable them to learn how to make a living and a life for themselves.

Then, we fly out tomorrow night at 11:30 Kenyan time. So, we may not be able to update until we get back to the states. Thanks so much for checking in on our journey here. We have learned so much and cannot wait to share more stories and pictures once we get home.

Peace,
The FTC Team
Written by: Meghan Marbuger, Photos Copyright J.P. Wilson 2008

Monday - The Work Begins...

Jambo! I think that what we experienced today can be best described in pictures. We took over 3000 pictures today so there will definitely be more to show once we are home. Many of us had expectations about today but I think for those who had never been to a slum before, what we literally saw was devastating and unimaginable.

Kibera is the second largest slum in Africa. There are almost 1 million people living in an area that is roughly 300 acres. When we pulled up to Kibera, what we saw caused everyone on the bus to be silent. We parked on a hill and we could look down into the slum areas and see nothing but dirt, trash, and rows of tin and mud buildings for as far as anyone could see.

As we began to make our 300 yard descent into the area, we were passed quickly by some of the people who live there. Many were carrying large items on their heads and walking through the sewage much faster than we were, showing how this is just their way of life. The group took much longer to make it into the slum area and we had to cross a couple unsteady bridges and hold hands often. We all were fairly silent as we made the trip in as everything we saw around us from the random animals everywhere and the trash piles and the smell of sewage.

Our goal for today was to help out one of the many schools existing in the slums. We had 800 new pairs of shoes and new socks to hand out. We walked into the open area where the school was and peeked into the classrooms. There were a lot of kids packed into one room with just one teacher! The kids were so excited to see us and were all yelling “How are you?” It is one of the only things the little ones know how to say in English.

After visiting in the classrooms, we started the shoe passing out process. It was hectic at first but once we got the hang of things, we were able to make lots of kids very happy. The look on their faces when we put on their new shoes and socks was priceless. It was such an amazing feeling to do something so small and see how happy it made the children. They desperately needed the new shoes and socks and it was an honor to be able to help make that possible for them.

Later, we helped with the feeding program. FTC provides hot meals to 122,000 kids a day and sometimes, this is the only meal they receive. They were so grateful for their lunches and we had fun helping to serve them.

Our trip out of the slum was much harder than the trip in but in a different way. We walked out through the rows of little rooms where sometimes 8 to 10 people live. The trash that was there was overwhelming. It is certainly a whole other way of life here. It was incredibly sad to experience even a fraction of what these people go through everyday.

After getting on the bus, we drove through the rest of the slums which was home to small businesses selling so many random things. It is the way people try to make a living. There were meat shops, hair dressers, grocery stores, etc. But, it was nothing like I had ever seen before.

We spent the rest of the afternoon traveling to a smaller slum and visiting another school. We passed out lollipops and Devin Brown wristbands. The kids were so happy! At one time during this visit, there was a classroom that had 92 children in it, quite different than any other kindergarten class one would see in the states. What an eye opener.

The pictures really do speak for themselves. Today was not a day that is easily described or talked about. I think many of us were touched in so many different ways and our hearts indeed go out to the people we saw today who are facing such hardships.

Until tomorrow, Asanti (Thank You) and be encouraged.

-The FTC Team (Written by: Meghan Marburger)

Sunday - Visit to the ABC Center and Kazuri

Today was our first real day in Kenya. We started the day by eating breakfast at the hotel and then traveling roughly 45 minutes to the Abandoned Baby and Children’s Center in Dagoretti, Kenya. This is the place that Feed the Children has established for kids who have been abandoned or orphaned. Since the poverty is so devastating here, there are many children who need a safe place to live and go to school. The center is located just outside of a slum and therefore, there is a great need for a safe place for the children who live there.

Once we arrived at the ABC Center, we were welcomed by Larry and Frances Jones the founders of FTC. They were anxious to give us a tour of the entire compound. It was wonderful to see the many buildings that existed there and learn of their purpose. I wish we could remember the exact statistics regarding the number of children that are helped at the center but nonetheless, the effect that FTC has had on this area is nothing short of astounding. We soon learned how proud the children are to have the privilege of living there but every child here deserves that chance at life and the ABC Center is responsible for giving them that opportunity.

During the tour, we had the chance to love on some kids while we were traveling from cottage to cottage. The compound is divided up and there are cottages for children of specific ages and abilities. There is also a dining hall, guest house, and plans to build a chapel are in the works.

One of the most touching moments of the day was when we all had the privilege of meeting a 10 year old boy that Larry and Frances picked up on Thursday. He was in desperate need of food when they found him and his grandmother willingly turned him over to FTC for help. Since both his parents died of AIDS, and his grandmother is older and unable to care for him, he is considered orphaned. He is only a mere 28 pounds which clearly says that this child is in need of help and the ABC Center is capable of providing for his needs. He had never seen a white person before, never rode in a car, never seen electricity or a t.v. and never owned a real toy. We were told that he was in shock when he arrived at the ABC Center since it was so different from where he came from. They call him Nick and it was wonderful to spend time with him although he was a bit shy at times but who could blame him with all our cameras and attempted hugs.

We then were able to go and visit the babies, toddlers, small children and teenagers. The moments everyone had with these children were priceless and it’s safe to say that we are so thankful these children have a safe place to live. The majority of the children are unable to be adopted since most are HIV positive. Therefore, many live at the center for most of their lives and we even got to meet some of the staff who were brought as children and now work for FTC. Some were full time nurses and others community outreach employees and hearing their stories about how FTC saved their lives was heartwarming.

Today was a special day in that it was the grand opening of the new boys dorm. We were so lucky to be there today when they had the ribbon cutting and then we saw the children all perform a beautiful program. They said the most profound things and were so incredibly thankful for what they’ve received. Many of the children had physical and mental disabilities and seeing their smiles and watching them shine as they sang and dance was nothing short of amazing. They worked so hard to welcome us with this program and it was an honor to be there.

After spending time visiting, everyone had the chance to go back to the individual cottages and love on the kids some more. We got to learn names and stories and the boys even gave all the women in our group white roses. The children are so polite, smart, gracious, and driven to succeed in all they do. The staff was friendly and inviting. They are so compassionate and dedicated to their job.

We spent as much time as possible at the center and then had to say our goodbyes. I think many people are anxious to come back again and be touched by these children. The drive back through the slums was tough as the true poverty was evident even on the outskirts. We are told that tomorrow will be unbelievable as we will be walking through areas that are much worse than what we saw today. We will be visiting homes and helping with the feeding program.

After the ABC Center, we made our way to the Kazuri bead and pottery factory where all the beads and pottery are handmade. The amount of items in the store was overwhelming and many of us took over an hour to make our decisions and purchase our items. We all agree that we could have been finished much earlier if Ann Brown wouldn’t have bought so many beads. She was the top spender! Today was the day to get some things to bring home and so hopefully, our friends and families will like what everyone picked out for them.

Finally, our day began to close and we headed back to the hotel. Everyone was tired from the day and some of us were still trying to de-jet-lag. Everyone went to dinner at a restaurant in the hotel and now we all have the rest of the night to rest and prepare for our big day tomorrow. It is promised to be emotional, overwhelming, and tiring but well worth it. I think it’s safe to say that no one really knows what to expect and many of us will go through yet another package of tissues before the day is over I’m sure.

Until then, enjoy the pictures and be encouraged in knowing how privileged we truly are. Enjoy this week and we’ll be back with another update soon!

-The FTC Team (Written by: Meghan Marburger)

Trip and Arrival to Nairobi, Kenya

Boy what a long day! Some of us slept like babies while others were wide awake.
But were finally here in Nairobi with all of our luggage unscathed!! Dona Jackson the founder of the program Sole to Sole waits for customs clearance after the long trip. Feed the children representatives met us at the airport to assure our quick trip thru customs while Larry Jones and his lovely wife (Frances) met us at the hotel. Mr. Jones was happy to see his friend David Wesley and everybody that came on the trip.
We are getting ready for a big day tomorrow at the Abandoned Baby Center and Shopping (kind of like a day of rest before the ultimate task we came for). Tonights update was

pretty short- It is about to be midnight over here! We will update again tomorrow.